1. Field
The following description relates to a structure comprising a graphene electrode and a molecular thin film, a molecular monolayer device, a flexible electronic device including a graphene electrode and a molecular thin film, and a method of producing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Graphene refers to a carbon-based material having a structure of a two-dimensional nano-sheet monolayer, in which sp2 hybridized carbon atoms form a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Graphene was first discovered in 2004 by a British research team led by Novoselov and Geim from graphite through mechanical exfoliation [Novoselov K et al., Electric field effect in atomically thin carbon films, Science, 306:666, 2004]. As a crystalline allotrope of carbon, graphene has been spotlighted as a groundbreaking material by virtue of its significantly high specific surface area with a theoretical value of 2,600 m2/g, superior electronic conduction property, and physical and chemical stability (typical value of 8×105 S/cm from the view point of quantum mechanics). Graphene has been considered for applicability in energy storage materials, such as lithium ion secondary cells, hydrogen storage fuel cells, and super capacitors, for various devices based on nano-complexation with a transition metal, gas sensors, micro-components for medical engineering, high functional composites, and so on.
One of the goals of molecule-based organic electronics is the realization of molecular functionalities in miniaturized and flexible electronic devices. Over the last few decades, numerous molecules have been suggested as viable candidates for such applications due to their electronically active or passive properties at the nanometer scale. Fabrication processes for soft and stable contact to single molecules or molecular monolayers, and reliable measurements of the electronic properties of molecules, have been investigated. Recently, stabilized fabrication methods using soft conducting layers were developed for device miniaturization using molecules. Miniaturization using molecules has also been explored via microscopic and spectroscopic studies of single molecules and molecular monolayers. The desirable organic electrode is one that is conductive, flexible and transparent, forms ideal contacts to a molecular monolayer of a organic molecule in a two-terminal crossbar device and is ultimately compatible with current standard electronic circuitry. To date, however, such characteristics have not been reported for molecular monolayer-integrated transparent and flexible electronics.
In this regard, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2010-0016928 relates to a graphene nanostructure solution and a method of preparing a graphene device, and describes a graphene nanodevice, in which graphene nanostructures are arranged in a second area of a substrate, on which no hydrophobic molecular film is formed.